The SLA of Mosman, on Sydney Harbour's northern shore, had the highest average Wage and salary income in Australia in 2006-07, and also recorded one of the highest average annual growth rates in Wages and salaries (over 9%) between 2003-04 and 2006-07. Neighbouring SLAs of North Sydney, Woollahra (in Sydney's east), Hunters Hill (on the lower north shore) and Ku-ring-gai (in Sydney's north) recorded average Wage and salary incomes greater than $71,000 in 2006-07.

Of those SLAs outside the Sydney SD with the highest average Wage and salary incomes, Singleton and Muswellbrook are both located in the Hunter Valley region north-west of Sydney. Both have strong industrial sectors based on coal mining and electricity generation. The economy of Cobar - in North Western SD - is built around its copper, zinc, lead, silver and gold mining industries. Whilst located in New South Wales, Queanbeyan and Palerang (Pt A), are both within commuting distance of the nation's capital, Canberra, and have more than half of their employed persons in managerial, professional or clerical/administrative occupations, according to 2006 Census data.

Top Average Wages and Salaries, New South Wales

Average Annual Income

2003-04

2004-05

2005-06

2006-07

Average
Annual
Growth
Rate

Top 5 SLAs(a)

$

$

$

$

%

Sydney SD

Mosman (A)

82 001

88 300

93 645

106 397

9.1

Woollahra (A)

66 611

72 418

75 520

85 225

8.6

Hunters Hill (A)

64 293

72 529

78 225

77 798

6.6

North Sydney (A)

62 997

66 534

68 788

72 939

5.0

Ku-ring-gai (A)

61 943

65 452

67 516

71 371

4.8

Sydney SD

42 811

44 799

46 425

48 428

4.2

Balance of NSW

Singleton (A)

45 226

46 072

48 918

51 804

4.6

Queanbeyan (C)

40 966

44 040

45 455

48 213

5.6

Muswellbrook (A)

42 085

43 780

46 174

48 042

4.5

Palerang (A) - Pt A

40 711

43 105

45 353

47 337

5.2

Cobar (A)

41 264

42 604

44 202

46 343

3.9

Balance of NSW(b)

33 360

34 774

36 307

37 717

4.2

(a) Top 5 SLAs exclude regions with less than 100 Wage and salary earners

(b) Excludes SLA 'NSW Unknown'

For more information about these regions, refer to the ABS National Regional Profile (NRP). The NRP presents, for all Australia, a range of data for various types of small regions. Data are available for Local Government Areas, Statistical Local Areas and other larger geographies. The NRP is intended for users interested in the characteristics of regions and in comparing regions across Australia. Data are presented as a five year time series, where available.

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